Raspberry Pi's New US$25 Camera Module Now Shipping

First demoed at the Electronica trade fair last November, the camera module contains a 5MP CMOS image sensor from OmniVision built with a 1.4 micron backside illuminated pixel architecture. Besides shooting 5MP images, it can also capture 1080/30p and 720/30p video, as well as 720p video at 60 frames per second. The camera module connects to the Raspberry Pi via the existing camera connector, using CSI for data and I2C for control.

The BBC's technology correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones, has written about his experience setting up and using the Raspberry Pi's camera module. "At first sight", he says, "it must be just about the most useless camera you can possibly imagine." But after installing and using the camera, he rounds off with "But I still found the whole lengthy process rather satisfying. Instead of turning a camera on and pressing a button, I'd been forced to think about the software behind digital photography and muddle my way through."